Daughters
by icecreamcastles
Summary: No one had ever looked at him like that. He wonders if this is how he looked at his own father. Like he's a hero. (Post "Let's Kill Hitler") - (one-shot)


**_Daughters_**  
G  
Rory, River  
Summary: _No one had ever looked at him like that. He wonders if this is how he looked at his own father. Like he's a hero._ (Post "Let's Kill Hitler")  
Disclaimer: Not my characters. This has been a disclaimer.

* * *

_Fathers, be good to your daughters  
Daughters will love like you do_

River felt a pair of eyes on her as she moved effortlessly around the Tardis console. When the Old Girl was set and ready to take off she turned around to find her dad. He was in his night clothes and barefoot.

"Hi." He waved awkwardly.

"Hello, Rory." She leaned back against the console. "What are you doing up so late? The only person who stalks me while I'm flying the Tardis is her thief."

"Sorry," Rory stood looking unsure at the top of the stairs, "I was just… wandering."

She smiles at him fondly because he was not wandering. No matter how time passed, front or back, he always managed to get lost. He still did that back in her early days or, in his case, will still be doing so in his future.

The Tardis would bring him back to the console room when she'd given him a good stroll. River knew very well that the Old Girl quite fancied her father walking down her corridors.

"Got lost, did you?" River inferred with a raised brow.

Rory laughed nervously. The tip of his ears started reddening before the warm color spread across his entire face. His shoulders did lose some of their tension and he looked more at ease. Or at ease enough to walk closer. She knew it was still early for him and Amy. She's sure they're still processing who she is to them.

"Where's the Doctor?" He asked.

"I sent him away." She answered proudly. "He made a fuss over it but in the end he did as I said."

Rory debated how exactly that would have been carried out. Not many people could _make_ the Doctor do anything but then, well, River wasn't just anyone.

"Is mum awake?" River inquired.

Rory was slightly stumped at River calling Amy her mum. Which Amy is. And he's… he's her dad. She's his daughter.

"Rory." River called, gathering his attention back on her.

She smiled at him. It was so strangely familiar. It's something in her eyes that makes his heart feels like it's going to burst out of his chest like in those kid cartoons. Or perhaps it would explode like a piñata.

"Did you," He'd not been sure of how to ask his question. Even when he tried to find the right wording it still sounded like complete rubbish to his own head. He decided to just go on and say it. It's not like River would hold it against him, them. She never had.

"Do you remember when you were born? I mean, the Doctor says you were talking to him since then but I don't exactly know how that works. Do you? Remember, I mean."

"I do." River confirmed. "It was all I had for years. Mum made a very epic speech about you." She grinned.

Rory snorted, "Mind reciting it?"

"I remember every word. Every face. Everything. I always have." River relayed. "The Doctor said it's a Timelord thing. Sort of. I may not be one fully but I have enough DNA that it came with the package. Being able to take details and keep them with complete accuracy. It's impossible to forget much. If you do miss something you always find a way to remember it and then, like the other memories, they never leave you again."

"Sounds like it comes in handy then."

River nodded. "Sometimes it does. Sometimes it keeps the past alive more than I'd like it to."

"It's all so jumbled together. I don't know what to do about it all." He confessed quietly. Guiltily. There had been all sorts of unexplainable, nameless, wordless things going on inside of him that he had absolutely no clue how to deal with. "You're River but you were Mels and you're my… you're my Melody. What hurts the most is I couldn't do anything."

"But you did." River insisted. "You did the most important thing you could do." She's looking at him in such disbelief. As if he's missing the most obvious. "You're my father. You. I would be nothing without you."

"I never even got to really hold you." He pointed out.

River walked until she was standing right in front of him. She looked up at him in what seemed to be complete adoration. No one had ever looked at him like that. He wonders if this is how he looked at his own father. Like he's a hero.

"You put me back together. You and Amy. Kovarian had worked me so far gone that the memories I had when I was born had been locked away where I couldn't reach them. After I found you I hadn't even realized how much I'd needed you." She stopped, suddenly looking embarrassed by that admission.

"I couldn't keep you safe like I should have."

"But you were there when I needed you most." River maintained. "Even after everything else you never stopped being there. You were kind and caring, always. You loved me like no one else ever could. Fiercely and without an end."

He found that so very hard to believe. She should blame him for not saving her. That's what dad's did, didn't they? Kept their children from harm.

"You really think that?" he asked.

"No." River shook her head, curls bouncing along with her, "I _know_ that."

Rory shifted nervously and River knew that mannerism well. Rory had always attempted to lighten a topic if it got too uncomfortable.

"I'll hardly win any 'Father of the Year' award." He said in jest but failed to make it sound anything other than hopelessly sad.

She'd picked up that trait as well. Lightening difficult situations. Like father - like daughter after all. The difference between the two of them was that she's a much better liar than he was so it sounds more genuine when it comes from her.

She never had to lie when it came to easing her father's discomforts and it was always genuine when she did so.

She starts with a shrug. "Well, if it makes you feel any better mum pointed a gun at me twice so I think you're pretty much even. But now that you mention it," she tilted her head to the side and pretended to have a think over it, "There _is_ one award I'd recommend signing up for. The 'Centurion of the Year' award. I think you have a chance at winning because, firstly, you're the only one left. Secondly, let's be honest, no one has legs like yours."

His laughter caught him by surprise.

"There you are," River grinned, "Sorted."

When his laughter died down River offered her hand. Rory took it and she led them over to the Tardis doors. She opened them and they were greeted by the endless sight of space. The stars were so close they could probably reach out and grab hold of one.

They sat down side by side, shoulders touching while their legs dangled from the Tardis doors.

"I'll never get tired of this." He said, admiring the view.

River nodded, agreeing. "No one could."

"Now that we know, you know, about you," Rory started, "we should get together more often. As a family, I mean."

"We do." River replied, "Or will do."

"Good." It pleased him immensely to hear that.

"A spoiler I can give you is we've come to leave the Doctor out of it. Not all the time but there are certain occasions."

Rory frowned. "Why?"

"He has a habit of ruining our family brunches by dragging along some Sontarans who want to kill him or wearing another dreadful hat or something equally as troublesome." River stated. An air of exasperation came attached with those words.

Rory thought over his time spent with the Doctor silently before nodding vehemently. "Yeah. He does tend to do that, doesn't he?"

"We've stopped inviting him for brunch ages ago." River chuckled. "He's allowed to dinners though." She adds.

"Does… does my dad know you?" He wondered. "I mean you, not Mels. That you're... ours."

She gave a long sigh, "That is a mighty question."

Rory watches her think and shook his head. "Too complicated to answer." He said, "Okay, skip that one."

River looked grateful and he feels happy he did that for her. Helped ease her as she did for him. An accomplishment. A father-y accomplishment.

They spent some time sitting at the Tardis doors and marveling out at the universe around them. Father and daughter bonding in space. River named every star for him and explained why and how they came to be. She retold massively embarrassing stories about the Doctor sans spoilers just to hear Rory laugh. Eventually they did come back inside the Tardis.

"You want me to teach you how to fly her?" River offered and motioned to the console.

Rory grinned, "Oh, no. I don't think that would be wise."

"She likes you." River beamed. "She did call you pretty once, did she not?"

Rory flushed again.

"Oh!" she chuckled joyously, "That reminds me! He sulked for weeks."

"Who?" Rory questioned.

"The Doctor!" she answered, "He was like a wounded puppy with his tail caught between his legs because his dear Tardis found you pretty. I laughed and I laughed."

Rory grinned for what looked to be the millionth time that night. He tried to suppress a yawn but ultimately couldn't.

"You should go back to bed." River suggested, "Try and get a proper rest for tomorrow."

"Are you going to be here when we wake up?"

She shook her head sadly. "I wish I could but I can't."

Rory frowned. "But we'll see you soon though, right?"

"You will." She assured. "Secret family brunches, remember?"

Her father's face lit up. A bit of hope shined behind his bright blue eyes. "Okay. Great. I'll look forward to it."

"On you go."

"Okay." Rory walked back up the stairs from which he came. "Goodnight, River."

"Goodnight, Rory."

"Dad." He said suddenly.

River frowned. "I'm sorry?"

She thought perhaps she misheard him. Despite that night feeling like she spent time with her father she very much hadn't. _It's not him yet_. She had to keep reminding herself because honestly sometimes she would forget. _He's Rory. He's Rory. He's still not dad. Not yet. Not yet. Not yet._ Over and over. She had gotten used to her parents knowing who she was and these days it was so hard to remember. It had become the hardest secret she'd ever had to keep.

"Dad. You can call me dad now." He offered, "If you'd like."

"I would." River admitted, "Very much so."

He waited. She looked like she was struggling with herself. Unsure, scared even. It felt like ages before she finally replied.

"Goodnight, dad."

"Goodnight," And it came out like the most natural thing in the world. "My Melody."


End file.
